SUV Review: 2012 BMW X1 xDrive28i

By Derek McNaughton, Postmedia News

Originally published: September 8, 2011

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BMW is about to see wagon sales go as dry as the Okanagan in summer.

BMW might still build the traditional dad-wagon, but who is going to want a more expensive, similarly equipped 3 Series wagon when the hip new X1 now sits on the showroom shelf with a starting price of $38,500?

Arguably, the 2012 BMW X1 xDrive28i even looks better than the aging 328i wagon. The X1 has an aggressive snout, a nice long hood, a rump that looks like the larger X3, yet the X1 is easier to climb in and out of. Even better, the X1 starts at, gulp, some $10,000 less than the 328i wagon.

Saving $10,000 gets you the same xDrive all-wheel-drive system as the 328i, a similar interior layout, gauges and controls and several of the same underpinnings, plus a snappy, eight-speed automatic transmission, not to mention a higher ground clearance and almost equal cargo space.

What you forego in the X1 is the delightfully smooth and aurally rich 3.0 in-line six-cylinder engine in the 328i, as well as the 328’s optional six-speed manual, plus other inclusions such as bi-xenon lamps, navigation and other electronics that come standard on the wagon.

But is that such a big deal? Is the new 2.0-litre four cylinder in the X1 — the only engine available at the moment — much of a step down? Certainly not by horsepower standards: Thanks to a single, twin-scroll turbocharger married to some intelligent ratios in an eight-speed automatic, that little four scoots the X1 along with eager zest, able to propel the X1 to 100 kilometres an hour in 6.7 seconds.

That’s slightly quicker than the wagon — as well as the larger, non-turbo X3 SUV. The X1’s 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque is also better than both models, too, and makes for strong passing power because the torque is available early. No, the four-cylinder does not feel as deliciously rich as the in-line six, especially as the revs climb. The four-cylinder also sounds embarrassingly lumpy at startup and idle (I had a neighbour ask me if it had an exhaust leak); but look what you get in return: highway consumption of 6.5 L/100 km highway and 10.2 city, according to BMW. Those numbers aren’t terribly optimistic either as I was able to achieve 8.8 L/100 km on average.

Much of the efficiency comes from reduced weight, 30 kilograms in the engine alone, for a total weight of 1,690 kg in the X1, or about 175 kg less than the lightest X3, and 20 kg less than the 328i.

The X1 also compares favourably in cargo space with the 328i. Total cargo space in the X1 is 1,350 litres with the rear seats down, or 420 with the rear seats in place (480 with the seats up and moved all the way forward.) The 328i has 460/1,385.

Numbers, of course, only tell some of the story. The real question is whether the X1, built in Leipzig, Germany, is imbued with the same driving soul and character that has made BMW the benchmark for so many performance markers.

For the most part, yes, the X1 drives like a BMW. As expected, the slightly higher centre of gravity makes it marginally less planted than its sedan sibling, but the X1 feels somewhat more lithe than the X3.

Steering, braking and overall sightlines don’t detract from the BMW driving experience either. Some of the interior components do feel less luxurious — durable cloth seats should be standard in the X1 instead of BMW’s imitation leather.

Cup holders and cubbies are scarce, and rear-seat leg room appears to be tighter than in a Mini Countryman or Toyota RAV4. But the interior, even in black, feels spacious with the Panorama sunroof BMW includes as part of its bargain-priced premium package, which also includes a heated steering wheel, satin-aluminum roof rails and auto-dimming mirror. Bluetooth is standard equipment, and the setup, as well as your phone’s list of stored names, works relatively well on the control screen. An iPod or BlackBerry connection is conveniently located, and the standard sound system is remarkably good.

Adding the premium package still kept the base price of my X1 tester below $40,000, but electric seats with memory pushed it to $40,940. Adding $1,995 for freight and delivery brought the X1 to $42,935. Factor in Ontario’s 13% HST to that price and it comes to an off-the-lot price that won’t make the bank manager balk.

For an all-wheel-drive BMW that does everything the wagon can do, and likely more thanks to the X1’s ground clearance, it’s not very hard to figure out where the smart money will go.